what can I do with a 30-06?

Ok, so I FINALLY am getting a new rifle. I'm buying it used from Cabela's (though BARELY used). It is a Remington 700 SPS in 30-06 with synthetic stock. I have some questions about what I can do with this cartridge and how much of a "long range" shooter I can make it. This will be-for all legitimate reasons-my first rifle. I have a few questions:

Other than making sure the barrel is free-floating and having quality glass, what are some simple, inexpensive ways I can ensure my rifle will shoot as strait as possible?

over the course of time I want to upgrade all the parts (stock, bedding the new stock, trigger, barrel)...I also would like to know what I can do with this action. Can a 30-06 action be re-chambered for a different caliber? is that something I would want to do to get better ballistics?

what are the ballistic differences between 308 and 30-06? what does 30-06 compare to? what are the pros and cons of a 30-06 cartridge? and lastly, what would be an effective hunting range of big game for 30-06?

Ok, so I FINALLY am getting a new rifle. I'm buying it used from Cabela's (though BARELY used). It is a Remington 700 SPS in 30-06 with synthetic stock. I have some questions about what I can do with this cartridge and how much of a "long range" shooter I can make it. This will be-for all legitimate reasons-my first rifle. I have a few questions:

Other than making sure the barrel is free-floating and having quality glass, what are some simple, inexpensive ways I can ensure my rifle will shoot as strait as possible?

over the course of time I want to upgrade all the parts (stock, bedding the new stock, trigger, barrel)...I also would like to know what I can do with this action. Can a 30-06 action be re-chambered for a different caliber? is that something I would want to do to get better ballistics?

what are the ballistic differences between 308 and 30-06? what does 30-06 compare to? what are the pros and cons of a 30-06 cartridge? and lastly, what would be an effective hunting range of big game for 30-06?

I would appreciate any help on this matter! Thank you

The 30/06 is a fine long range target rifle out to 1000 yards with the 180 class match bullets.
At one time the 30/06 held most of the 600 and 1000 yard records.

For hunting 700 to 800 yards is not a problem with good quality hunting bullets from 150 to 180
grains.

The only thing I see wrong with your rig is the Tupperware stock. buy a good composit or laminate
stock and bed and float it.

The difference between the 30/06 and the 308 with the same bullet is between 200 and 300 ft/sec.

As Rocknwell stated the 30-06 is a great long range gun with the right ammo.

As for how the 30-06 and 308 compare, the 30-06 can be loaded hotter than the 308 due to the fact the 30-06 is larger and can hold more powder.
but the design of the 308 is more effiecent in the way it burns that powder.

As for which is better that is one of the greatest debates of gun the universe.

Now what can you do to make it shoot better.

First off a deep clean!! If you have pits in your barrel use a lapping compound like JB Bore paste, and make that barrel shine.

It you are like Most of us, you dont have a ton of money to go throwing around, so things like a new trigger and such will be a work in progress.

I would take the rifle into a gun smith and have them do a trigger job and work the action over. It will work more now.

Thank you for the advice. i'm definitely going to make sure it's super clean and also free-floated and that should do for this season. And the rest of these things I should be able to get done over the course of time and make it a really sweet rig. I plan on this baby getting me preficient at shooting long-range. And as soon as my skills can justify a big-money spend, i'll UPGRADE! i'm definitely stoked for this year.